By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — A gamble of starting five global-standard guards paid off for Barangay Ginebra as it kept TNT KaTropa from scoring a sweep in their best-of-five PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals against TNT with an 80-72 Game 3 win at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Tuesday night.
Facing elimination, coach Tim Cone went small-ball to start the game, bringing in Mark Caguioa and Scottie Thompson instead of usual starting forwards Joe Devance and Japeth Aguilar, essentially putting six-foot-five import Justin Brownlee at the center position.
The Barangay quickly went on a roll, going on a 10-2 run to open Game 3 before stretching it to as high as 11, 21-10, later in the first quarter, eventually taking control of most of the first half.
The KaTropa came alive in the third quarter, outscoring the Barangay, 18-7, to start the period to go up, 50-49, eventually keeping the game close until the early stages of the fourth.
Ginebra threatened to pull away, opening a 70-64 lead with 4:06 remaining, but TNT stayed in the fight and was within two, 72-74, with 1:50 to play.
The Barangay finished the game with a 6-0 run to finally break away.
L.A. Tenorio put up 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists for Ginebra, which forced a Game 4 on Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Brownlee came close to a triple-double, tallying 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists alongside four steals and two blocks.
The relegation of Devance to the bench turned out to favor him as he made 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting with four rebounds, five assists, and one block.
Terrence Jones made 24 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and three steals for TNT.
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